What is at the bottom of your joy?

Passion 2011: Fourth and Final Session

He began by saying, "I hope that you could come to enjoy being made much of by God... that God would be glorified as your supreme treasure."

Quite honestly, I don't think about being made much of by God very often. It was an odd statement to make and it puzzled me. However, before that thought had settled John Piper was on to the next point... He asked, "What's at the bottom of your joy?" Also an interesting thought...

Because, you see, every source of joy has a bottom... another source... except for one. And until you answer that question, you don't know who you really are. You're either a person who most deeply enjoys God-exaltation or self-exaltation.

I shifted in my seat and furiously scribbled sermon notes in my notebook. The question was daunting: What's the reason behind the things that make me happy? If you keep stripping the layers, what is the source of all my joy?

God loves me because he puts himself at the bottom of my joy. If he didn't require me to allow him to be the source, then I would never experience real joy. His being at the bottom results in my utmost satisfaction.

But this concept is hard to wrap my mind and heart around... Christianity isn't about turning to Christ to fulfill my unregenerate desires. I don't accept Christ and now say, "I'm going to stop depending on self to have a 'happy' life and I'll turn to Christ." I don't turn to Jesus and say, "I'll stop trusting doctors for health and start trusting you." You see, these desires are universal. You don't have to be a believer to desire happiness and health and comfort. But the regenerate soul delights in regenerate desires. I have to sever the roots of self... and replant my entire life in a new foundation... develop new roots.

This "new birth" that we talk about so casually is actually a murder scene. The Holy Spirit comes into my life and kills the old bottom... my old source of joy: self. And only then can I truly say that if you force me down to the bottom, then you would see that I'm not like the rest of the world... my desires have been regenerated-- my bottom is different.

I can pray to the Giver of all good things, "Make enjoying you more powerful than enjoying stuff," and I can see that prayer realized in my life... when Christ is at the bottom.

I can feel the tension in knowing that God tells us that he loves us for his own sake, time and time again. I can feel that tension and know that my new self rejoices knowing that God's love for me glorifies him. God sends the savior and he gets the glory. What a wonderful transaction. I receive salvation so that I can devote the rest of my life and my eternity to making much of him. What a glorious destiny.

Piper proceeded to list of seven (out of many) ways that God makes much of us. I'll briefly mention them.

God makes much of us by...

1. Being pleased with us and commending our lives even though we disappoint him every single day of our lives.
2. Making us fellow heirs with his son who owns everything (Romans 4:13, 1 Corinthians 3:21). You don't need it-- whatever IT is for you-- here on this Earth, because its already yours when you when you drop dead in two seconds.
3. Having us sit at a table when he returns and serves us as if we were masters and he is slave. Jesus wasn't just a servant for 33 years.
4. Appointing us to make judgement on angels (1 Cor 6:3).
5. Ascribing value to us, rejoicing over us as a treasured possession (Zephaniah 3:17).
6. Giving us a glorious body like Christ's resurrected body.
7. Granting us the right to sit with Christ on his throne (Revelation 3:21).

God's love always draws attention to his supreme value... his love is so great that he doesn't make you-- or me-- the end of this love.

A heart that has been made for God will never be satisfied by self.